I said, "... wait, what do you mean, 'too'?" and went into the living room where I found Caroline eating the very last chocolate chip cookie, the one that I had tucked behind the toaster for later.

"Caroline!" I said and she gave a guilty start.

"Oh, whoops-a-daisy!" she said. Then she looked at her hand as if she had never seen it before and asked, "Am I eating a cookie?"

Then she said, "Sorrrrry" sounding utterly insincere and yet somehow vaguely Canadian. Then she ate the rest of the cookie in one bite, smiled and said, "Sorry!" again.

"Caroline!" I repeated and I ticked off her transgressions on my fingers: "First, you know you need to ask permission. Second, you've already had a cookie and I told you that was it. Third, you've already brushed your teeth. Fourth, no food in the living room and fifth ..." I held up my hand "that was my cookie. I didn't get one earlier and now you have eaten them all."

Caroline arranged her features into something resembling both remorse and concern.

"The thing is, Mommy," she confided. "I like saying 'I'm sorry' much more than I like saying 'please.'"

PS Today marked Patrick's twenty-fifth day home from school.

Two Five, people.

First he was sick, then he was still sick, after that was winter break followed by a bit of a relapse and then they've closed all the schools for two days because we are being sucked in by a vortex of Arctic something... muskox? All I know is that I feel like I have been within 100 yards of my child(ren) without cease for over three weeks and while every single moment of motherhood is transcendent... I cannot finish this sentence.

There are no words to describe how profoundly grateful I am that they will all return to their respective halls of learning tomorrow.

PPS How cold was it at my house? An excellent question and one that I am unfortunately unable to answer since apparently Steve's desktop weather station stops recording below -24. So it was at least -25 on my porch yesterday.

Even hot-blooded Caroline was affected

although this picture is a bit misleading because despite the balaclava and fuzzy slippers, under the robe she is wearing a tanktop and a pair of shorts.

Comments

I said, "... wait, what do you mean, 'too'?" and went into the living room where I found Caroline eating the very last chocolate chip cookie, the one that I had tucked behind the toaster for later.

"Caroline!" I said and she gave a guilty start.

"Oh, whoops-a-daisy!" she said. Then she looked at her hand as if she had never seen it before and asked, "Am I eating a cookie?"

Then she said, "Sorrrrry" sounding utterly insincere and yet somehow vaguely Canadian. Then she ate the rest of the cookie in one bite, smiled and said, "Sorry!" again.

"Caroline!" I repeated and I ticked off her transgressions on my fingers: "First, you know you need to ask permission. Second, you've already had a cookie and I told you that was it. Third, you've already brushed your teeth. Fourth, no food in the living room and fifth ..." I held up my hand "that was my cookie. I didn't get one earlier and now you have eaten them all."

Caroline arranged her features into something resembling both remorse and concern.

"The thing is, Mommy," she confided. "I like saying 'I'm sorry' much more than I like saying 'please.'"

PS Today marked Patrick's twenty-fifth day home from school.

Two Five, people.

First he was sick, then he was still sick, after that was winter break followed by a bit of a relapse and then they've closed all the schools for two days because we are being sucked in by a vortex of Arctic something... muskox? All I know is that I feel like I have been within 100 yards of my child(ren) without cease for over three weeks and while every single moment of motherhood is transcendent... I cannot finish this sentence.

There are no words to describe how profoundly grateful I am that they will all return to their respective halls of learning tomorrow.

PPS How cold was it at my house? An excellent question and one that I am unfortunately unable to answer since apparently Steve's desktop weather station stops recording below -24. So it was at least -25 on my porch yesterday.

Even hot-blooded Caroline was affected

although this picture is a bit misleading because despite the balaclava and fuzzy slippers, under the robe she is wearing a tanktop and a pair of shorts.